What can we do that will solve the issues faced by the nation of Afghanistan? It is really not our 'job' to meddle in the affairs of other nations, and until we learn this, we will make strategic errors, catalyze anger towards us and be promoting our image as uninvited militant occupiers. It is not a surprise we are the target of vengeance and retaliation. We carry on in the face of the evidence as if the nations we occupy have no right of self-determination. We destabilize them and then feel obliged to 'tidy up' the mess we have created. We try to 'tidy up' according to our standards, imposing our standards and methods on the occupied population with little sensitivity to the needs or wishes of the occupied population. Why is there terrorism against us? Would we resist by any means possible against a similar militaristic occupation? I don't think we would hesitate to respond forcefully against any aggressor who made occupying our soil part of their foreign policy. Who, I ask, gives us the 'right' to do this? In turn, then does some other nation have the 'right' to perform the same actions against us on our own soil. To my way of thinking, this is the logical human reaction: a resounding NO.
Our alliances and 'interests' prod us in directions we need to give far more consideration than to just keep bulling forward in the old aggressive ways. We are not noticing we are asking of other nations a level of tolerance we would not ourselves sustain for the same abuses. How is it we feel we have a special dispensation to continue in this way? We confuse 'saving face' with 'duty'. Being a nation of hope and change is not yet in our scope unless our foreign policies of aggressive occupation are reduced and/or eliminated. Our own citizens are being devalued as we spend tax revenues outside our borders in misadventures whose costs are on a scale that hamstrings our economy. We are mistaken if we assume we can continue on this path. We continue to 'create' opponents because we violate the sovereignty of other nations in pursuit of economic resources and political clout. We are generating resentment against our own selves that takes multiple generations to cool and turn neutral. It is unfortunate and sad we seem to continue on this path, regardless of the meager outreach for international 'understanding' and diplomacy.
My concern regarding this permeates my thoughts every day. My hope is disintegrating towards an administration I was set to revere. Looking for a silver lining, there are still plenty of positives, but some harsh disappointments are growing. How about all of you? Where are your thoughts about this in Nov. of 2009?
THIS COMES FROM AN ANALYSIS BY THE D.C. PRESS INSIDERS WHO HAVE ASKED WHAT WILL DETERMINE THE CONGRESSIONAL RESPONSE TO THE More Progressive aspects of the HealthCare Reform Legislation.
This promising new President is so far head and shoulders above the alternative, it is painful to complain bitterly, but bitterly I will. No solution in the Middle East can be solved by occupation, invasion, or military coercion. How my dear President Obama wishes to ignore the wisdom he learned in undergraduate school, I struggle to understand. How well he comprehended the truths shared with him at that time.
What has happened Barack? You were an excellent student. You 'got the picture'. did you lose it somewhere on the walk into the Oval Office? Which UGLY CORPORATION threatened you into falling in line with them? Please be more honorable than to fall to repression by threat of being a 4-year President. What on earth do you think is more honorable--- to follow the wishes of those who elected you, or the be the puppet of the greed and fear-mongers? Please please change course. There is no HOPE AND CHANGE in your middle East policies at present except, thank you for being firmer with Israel, well, a little firmer.
I want to respect you, find you the best President ever. in all history. You are wavering from the track of truly being the people's President. Now you don't have to do much to improve on G.H.W.B., that's true, but you were light-years beyond him at the inauguration----please don't regress. I am worried. How can my Team support you whole-heartedly in 2012? We really care, we are giving our hearts and souls to support you, please don't fail us.
Where is our access to HealthCare REform for all? Public Plan still won't cut it for many. Now we fear the Public Plan will get the ax, too. Are they chewing your heart out? Threatening you? We will rise up in any way you need us to to protect you all we can, just please by the President we hoped we elected!
Blackwater may owe the government more than $55 million—and one restaurant-quality deep fat fryer.
According to a federal audit reviewing the private security firm's work in Iraq, Blackwater failed to meet the terms of contracts worth more than $800 million. The audit, released on Monday, found that the company (which recently renamed itself Xe) regularly came up short on the staffing requirements outlined in two of its State Department task orders, issued under the multibillion dollar Worldwide Personal Protective Services (WPPS) contract. For instance, the audit notes, the firm didn’t supply enough personal security specialists for 16 of 19 months under a task order to provide guards in Baghdad and Ramadi—meaning that visiting dignitaries and other officials under the firm’s watch were potentially underprotected.
To keep you updated,
A meeting of the Steering Committee of the Dane Grassroots Network will be held at the Hubbard St. Diner in Middleton, Wi at 3:00pm. The agenda will be to examine the interest group reports and suggestions for action. We are a group of 6 members out of a general membership of almost 40 Team Leaders and active volunteers having stayed active post-election. We represent almost every community in Dane County and some from surrounding counties. We are inclusive in our mission, and strongly reflect the values and initiatives of OFA working in conjunction with OFA and with the knowledge of the State Director, Dan Grandone. Any local community or grassroots group who would like collaboration with us or by us is very welcome to attend our open meetings and sign up for notifications of meetings and activities. We would love to hear from you and meet you! More on the outcome of the Steering Committee Meeting in next post.
We are scheduled to have our second meeting, May 29th. The goals of this committee are to set up a communications site through which we can aid our network in accomplishing efficient communications not only with our own committee but the whole umbrella network. We will be able to comment on the progress of not only our own committees but be able to collaborate with others. Inside this site, we will have a calendar of events, be able to post events, blog, interactively register as new members, email one another, and have efficient access to links to a wide list of resources, from quick ways to contact other networks and interest groups outside our network but who share our interests and goals, tutorials on letter-writing, contacting our officials effectively, keeping track of Bills and actions of our elected officials nationally, as well as state and locally. We will provide candidate news as elections approach, and are still collecting ideas as to what other features might be useful to us all. The best news: we have an IT professional who has great experience in site development who will provide the foundation for this site creation, as well has have members with great skills and web experience who are interested in sharing their expertise.
Our next meeting is at my home, May 29. Look on the Event Hosting feature to get the details.
We also have a preliminary site on Googlegroups I've set up in the interim. As I add each committee's segment, I will post this information to all in the Network. You are able to contribute ideas by commenting in this blog for the time being. -- Marcia
Here is the flyer copy for the event we held. We had several local physicians also present as attendees who gave additional input to the conversation the forum generated. The forum became a very intense dialog and explorations of the issues we face no matter what kind of healthcare reform gets the final vote. We debated whether to make an ourcry for the Single Payer we know Obama really chooses, but pragmatically sees will not have a chance to be voted in. We took a consensus vote and found that of the 50 or so in attendance, only 4 people were firmly in favor of other reform variables instead of Single Payer, so we determined to write a joint letter to Obama asking for Single Payer, just so he knows how strong commuity sentiment is amidst his 'grassroots supporters'. We all signed the letter, even most of thosewho favored supporting other plans. Here is the flyer describing the event. Also, be aware there will be other actions hosted and/ or supported by the Grassroots Network and other opportunities to learn about the challenge of HealthCare Reform, to help the community, county, state examine the issues and perhaps take action.
The event Flyer:
In the ensuing months after the election, many supporters of Obama who had not previously been active in the Democrat Party came to a big decision. Lots of us were not officially members but almost always supporting candidates and issues that were the agenda of the Domocrats consistently. We decided to take a look at the local Democrat Parties near us and determined to join the party which chose to nominate Barack Obama as its Presidential Candidate for 2008 general election.
Since then, in Dane County, I am aware of a small but growing new group who have joined the Democrats formally. I have not investigated how many of us have made that decision, but I am sure we are not unique. It must be true that throughout the state many OFA members are choosing to connect with the Democrat party, and personally, I view this as a healthy political decision. It we have been hanging back, for whatever the reason, not being sure if we want yet more events to attend and actions to participate in, we have been cheating both ourselves and the party which most pragmatically represents our views and demonstrates concerns for the issues we most often understand in the same way. We can help the Democrat party be more effective as we try to support the agenda of Obama, and we can be more effective in shaping how the party repsonds about all sorts of issues. We need to connect, empower and improve the quality of our citizen involvement to keep the good policies at the table and get them passed. We need to take every opportunity to be the voice of change. The Democrats embraced Obama to be that Voice of Change, it is good to join them officially and support that effort more inclusively! Meetings of the DaneDems take place monthly at the Concourse Hotel in Madison. There is free parking in the hotel basement lot! It is so easy!
Many people who voted for Obama gave strength to his campaign and were critical to his election. Their views and political action choices did not necessarily coincide with wishing to be a part of the major party affiliation. I was part of that group. Wanted to be independent. But then, I realized we are missing an important opportunity: to be the fresh voices of our Obama movement that is really important to the Democrats, especially now,but in the future as well, since we don't want the policies we fought hard to promote via our support of Obama just evaporate after his terms of office close. We have to keep our eyes on the horizon and think of our families, communities, state, nation, and how we will affect our international communities. It is important to keep our voices strong, keep focused, keep active, and if each of us does our small bit, we can achieve this. So I decided to link that can serve to promote all that: The Democrat Party.
I invite you to join me in starting an important activity 'being the voices of Obama' in the Democrat Party. If you would like reports from me about recent meetings, I'll be happy to share them with you. I attended the 2nd Congressional District Democratic Convention in Portage last month, and the Democrat Leadership Institute at Devil's Lake Resort. I will be attending the State Democrat Convention, June 11-12th in Green Bay. This is how we begin to exercise fresh voices of Obama within the party that chose him. It is very exciting to meet so many others with similar views! Try it, I'm finding it very fulfilling and purposeful.
MAY 7TH, at the Alicia Ashman Library in Middleton,WI, the coalition of Team Leaders and community leaders met again to continue organizing the structure of our on-going collaboration of the post-election network throughout Dane County, WI, as well as members from a few other adjoining counties. We identified the most important issues we wanted to focus on as an overall group, selected sub-groups based on interest on specific issues, and met in those smaller groups to express goals and stragegize our next steps, set sub-group focus meeting dates, and agreed to meet so we could then make reports back to the whole network.
The Sub-Groups attaining the highest membership were:
Obama Overall Agenda
HealthCare Reform
Education REform
Environment
Energy
Communications
Other groups on the list were, Economy and Jobs, Security, and Foreign Affairs.
The groups whose membership were the highest set subsequent meeting dates. The Network will convene shortly to examine the most pressing issues we must be active about in the next month or two. Meeting Time, Date, place, to be announced within a week from this posting.
Reminders extended regarding the upcoming Network hosted Forum on HealthCare Reform, May 12 at 7:30 in Mazomanie at the Old Feed Mill.
Anyone wishing to attend future Dane Grassroots Network meetings or be placed on the mailing list to receive announcements/reports of meetings, please contact nptimm@chorus.net
Note: There will be a website online soon with more detailed information and the ongoing dates of future forums, activities of the NetWork, and an interactive feature through which people may place themselves on the email list as well as make entries as comments or blog. We will provide a directory of affiliating grassroots groups in all the special interest areas appropriate to our network. It will be both a resource site, Bulletin board/calendar of events, and an interactive communication site.
All are invited to attend this meeting.
We are a previous Obama for America campaign Team, now an Organizing for America Team that decided to continue on as a grassroots legacy team of activated citizens who wanted to continue being a network for OFA in our community. We have met 7 times since Nov. 4th, we are committed to learning about the issues facing all the layers of our world, local,state, national, international, and discovering how we can be of use to support worthwhile policies and initiatives. We also work to support candidates we find worthy.
If you are interested or would like more information about us, please attend one of our meetings.
--Marcia Riquelme
WHY IS HEALTH CARE REFORM SO TOUGH TO ACHIEVE?
TUES., MAY 12, 7: 30 P.M. In Mazomanie
Members of the Grassroots Health Care Task Force will lead a conversation about the four health care reform bills currently before Congress:
the Obama plan
the Stark plan
the Wyden-Bennett plan and
the Conyers (or single payer) Plan.
They will talk about the three main "sticking" points for getting health care reform passed:
Cost containment
Mandates -- yes or no
A Public Plan -- Should this be part of the mix?
LOCATION: THE OLD FEEDMILL RESTAURANT, 114 Cramer Street in Mazomanie.
Panel members include:
Dr. Aaron Dunn, who just received the Young Physician Leadership award from the Wisconsin Medical Society. He is a family practitioner in Mineral Point and Dodgeville.
John Simonson, retired economics professor from UW Platteville.
John Wright, retired informational technology specialist
Jeff Ware, retired businessman in the communications field
Kent Mayfield, retired college administrator and minister
Bill Spevacek, retired Milwaukee public relations executive.
Hi Everyone,
In the months after the WISCONSIN RIVER VALLEY GRASSROOTS CONFERENCE on Feb. 21st, a coalition of Team Leaders and active volunteers decided to meet and discuss how we could continue on with our network still on the ground post-election.
It is clear there is a great interest to strengthen and continue that network. Dan Grandone and J.D. Stier attended our second meeting and agreed it is a good thing they are enthusiastic to see continue.
There is now a third and fourth event on the calendar. Please consider attending if you can.
Tuesday, May 7th -- a collaborative meeting to set in motion a more 'formalized' sort of group description and establishing the group as an entity working within the goals of OFA but also working with many local and statewide community service issues and focus groups. We are expanding our invitation base to anyone who is interested in attending, and especially those who were part of the network that volunteered to elect Obama. Here is the agenda:
PLEASE NOTE: This meeting will move us from talking to walking. So come prepared to be in on the ground floor of developing an action agenda for Dane County.
Thanks
Dear Obama Team Leaders,
The anticipation of spring is upon us and with it the arrival of President Obama's first 100 days in office. It's difficult to determine which to be more excited about, but for most of us it probably is the 100 days.
Throughout the long winter we have continued to work with our teams, participate in the Grassroots Festival, and meet the OFA Wisconsin Coordinator, Dan Grandone). It seems clear that we will be stronger and more effective if we share our energy in some form of county wide network.
With this realization, it is time to take the next step in building the Dane County Grassroots Network. Join us at the Alicia Ashman Library (large meeting room), 733 N. High Point Rd.1 on Thursday evening May 7, at 6:30 pm. This meeting will be a work session with some heavy lifting for the future. We encourage you to bring one or two additional team members with you who are also committed to this project.
See the attached agenda for details.
We look forward to seeing you on May 7. If you have questions call any of the numbers below.
Ron Biendseil 836-1920
Bruce Green
Nate Timm 220-0139
Eric Sundquist
GRASSROOTS NETWORK AGENDA
MAY 7, 2009
6:30 p.m., Alicia Ashman Library, 733 N. High Point Rd. (Corner of High Point and Old Sauk, one block east of the Beltline)
WHO WILL KEEP US ON TIME??
6:30 WELCOME AND BRIEF HISTORY OF EFFORTS TO CREATE A GRASSROOTS NETWORK IN WISCONSIN. (Obama campaign experience, Grassroots Festival, Organizing for America listening sessions, Dual Rail Meeting, first meeting of grassroots teams at the Alicia Ashman Library
6:40 PURPOSE OF TONIGHTS MEETING:
Identify top priorities of issues people want to begin working on with other area teams
Develop preliminary work plans to address top priorities
NOTE: the underlying assumption is that you are here because you want to DO SOMETHING
6:50 WHO’S HERE Rapid fire -- Your name and community
7:00 MISSION STATEMENT:
The Dane County Grassroots Network consists of progressive groups, teams, and individuals committed to the civic betterment of the community and the nation.
The mission of the Dane County Grassroots Network is to:
Facilitate the exchange of ideas, information and skills among network members in order to promote the civic betterment of our community and nation
Identify issues of common interest to groups and facilitate shared activities and campaigns.
Is there anyone here who CANNOT live with this as the mission for this initiative??
7:10 Identify top priorities that the network will address
Who will join the Coordinating Team for Dane County? This group will support work groups, problem solve, trouble shoot, and plan follow up activities of this meeting
7:30 Break into Work Groups to begin developing action plans
8:15 Reconvene as large group to BRIEFLY report on highlights of work plans
8:30 We’re out of here.
Possible Priorities ( for further action by work groups)
Note: participants at previous meetings have endorsed the need to develop an electronic communications network to support our efforts. Marcia has agreed to coordinate this effort. If you’d be interested in being part of this work group STAND UP AND BE COUNTED NOW.
WORK TOGETHER TO:
(First, circle your top 5-6 priorities. Then check off your TOP 3)
___Influence state legislative priorities
___Support President Obama's political agenda
___Influence the national legislative agenda
___Support a national Health Care initiative: facilitate education, information
dissemination and action etc, on this issue
___Support a state Transportation initiative: RTA facilitate education, information
___Support a national Energy policy: facilitate education, information dissemination
and action etc, on this issue
___Support a national Education initiative: facilitate education, information
___Organize coordinated community service projects (short term and ongoing
projects)
___Develop and support youth involvement in a grassroots network
___Find and support a credible Dem. candidate to oppose Rep. Paul Ryan
___Establish Study/Discussion Groups (books, articles, issues, etc.)
___Establish a Grassroots Academy to help network members hone their political
skills, community organizing skills, communications skills, etc., and develop political, business and community linkages
Others??
1 The library is at the back of s small shopping center at the corner of High Point and Old Sauk Rd. Turn into the shopping center and head to the back corner. We’ll be there.
I will post the announcement of the HealthCare Reform forum announcement in my next posting. Please take a look and consider attending. We are and can still make a huge difference if we keep the network alive and functioning!
Guantanamo will soon be closed
Other bases used for interrogation have been closed
The Recovery Package has been passed by Congress and is being debated in the Senate today.
President Obama has already had one interview with Arab media saying we are not the enemy.
President Obama is reaching out to Team Leaders to ask for input on the Recovery Package Feb. 3.
Our Team will meet soon.
Activities since Nov. 4th:
We have had two Team meetings, a meeting at the Library set up by Mary Sanderson to collect community input regarding the future Obama Health Care Policy.
Al Greene ran a service project Jan 19 and delivered 400 pounds of canned food to a local food bank.
Our De Forest/Windsor Brown Bear Organizing for America Team agreed to take actions to support the campaign of Shirley Abrahamson for State Supreme Court Judgeship. Mary Sanderson has been instrumental in helping us get this underway. We will ask for updates and become informed on needed actions.
Announcement by Russ Feingold for his candidacy arrived in our mailboxes. We need to contact his office.
If any of us feel strongly about the Economic Recovery Package,we need to urge our Senators to support it and to ask other Senators nationwide to do so as well.
We are the Change we seek. YES WE CAN!
We are advancing
